English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

Channing

name

A surname, also used as a unisex given name.

channukkah

name

An uncommon spelling of Hanukkah.

chant

verb

To sing or speak words in a repetitive, rhythmic way, often as a group.

Chantal

name

A feminine given name of French origin, popularized from the surname of Saint Jeanne de Chantal.

chantard

noun

A person who posts on the 4chan website.

Chantelle

name

A feminine given name of French origin, an English variant of Chantal.

chanter

noun

A person who sings or chants.

chanterelle

noun

A widely distributed edible mushroom that is yellow and trumpet-shaped.

chanticleer

noun

A farmyard rooster, especially as a character in old stories.

chanting

noun

The act of singing or speaking rhythmically and repetitively, especially as a group.

chantress

noun

A woman who sings or chants.

chantry

noun

A fund or chapel endowed to pay a priest to sing masses for the souls of specific people, usually the donor's family.

Chao

name

A Chinese surname, romanized from the name Zhao.

chaos

noun

Complete disorder and confusion.

chaotic

adj

Completely disorganised or in a state of disorder.

chap

noun

Informal British term for a man or fellow.

chaparral

noun

An area covered in thick bushes, with dry summers and wet winters, like the coast around the Mediterranean.

chapel

noun

A small place of worship, often attached to or part of a larger building such as a school, hospital, or castle.

chaperon

noun

An older or responsible person who accompanies young people at a social event to supervise their behaviour.

chaperone

noun

An adult who accompanies and supervises younger people at a social event, to make sure things stay appropriate.

chaperoned

adj

Kept company by an adult for supervision or protection.

chaperoning

noun

The act of supervising or accompanying someone, especially a young person or group, at an event or outing to make sure things stay safe and appropriate.

Chapin

name

A surname, of Spanish, French, or English origin, notably borne by singer-songwriter Harry Chapin.

chapiter

noun

The top part of a column, which holds up the structure above it.

chaplain

noun

A clergy member or spiritual advisor formally attached to a school, hospital, prison, military unit, or similar institution rather than a church congregation.

chaplet

noun

A ring of flowers or leaves worn on the head.

Chaplin

noun

A type of bacterial protein that assembles into thin fibril structures rather than coiling up.

Chapman

noun

An old-fashioned word for a trader or merchant, especially one who travelled from place to place selling goods.

chapo

noun

An informal, shortened way of saying "chapati," the round flatbread common in South Asian cooking.

chapped

adj

Of skin, dry, cracked, and sore, usually because of cold weather or wind.

Chappell

name

A surname, also the name of a small city in Nebraska.

Chappelle

name

A surname, notably borne by comedian Dave Chappelle.

chappy

noun

Informal, affectionate variant of chap, meaning a man or fellow.

chapri

noun

In Indian internet slang, a young man mocked for a loud, try-hard style — flashy clothes, elaborate hair, showy phone edits and attention-seeking behaviour — seen by the speaker as tacky or low-class.

chaps

noun

Sturdy leather leggings, open at the back, worn over trousers to protect the legs, especially by cowboys or motorcyclists.

chapstick

noun

A stick of wax-based balm used to soothe and protect dry or chapped lips.

chapter

noun

One of the main divisions of a book or other written work.

char

verb

To burn something so that its surface turns black, or to burn it down to charcoal.

charabanc

noun

(old use) An open-sided bus, first pulled by horses and later powered by an engine.

character

noun

A person portrayed in a book, film, play, or other story.

characterise

verb

A non-Oxford British English standard spelling of characterize.

characteristic

adj

Typical of a particular person or thing; serving to identify it.

characterize

verb

To describe someone or something as having particular qualities.

charade

noun

An act or pretence that is obvious and unconvincing, meant to create a false impression.

charades

noun

A party game in which players act out words or phrases silently for others to guess.

charbon

noun

A small dark mark left in the hollow of a horse's corner tooth once the larger mark on it has worn away.

charcoal

noun

A black, carbon-rich material made by burning wood slowly without much oxygen, used as fuel or in cooking.

Charcot

name

A French surname, most notably borne by neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot.

charcuterie

noun

Cured, smoked or preserved meats served cold — salami, prosciutto, pâté, terrines, sausages and similar — usually presented sliced on a board with bread, cheese and pickles.

chard

noun

A leafy green vegetable with thick, often colourful stalks, related to beetroot and slightly bitter in taste.

Chardonnay

noun

A variety of green-skinned grape used to make white wine, or the wine made from it.

chare

noun

A narrow street or alley running between buildings in a town.

charge

noun

An amount of money asked for a service or product.

chargeable

adj

Able to have a charge put on it.

charged

adj

Full of strong emotion or tension.

chargeman

noun

A worker who leads others; the person in charge.

charger

noun

A device that supplies electricity to recharge a battery.

charging

noun

The process of restoring energy to a battery or device.

Charing

name

A village in Kent, England, and part of the name Charing Cross, a famous location in central London.

chariot

noun

A light, open, two-wheeled vehicle drawn by horses, used in ancient warfare, racing, and ceremonies.

charioteer

noun

Someone who drives a chariot.

charisma

noun

A compelling personal charm or magnetism that draws people in and inspires devotion or enthusiasm.

charismatic

adj

Having a compelling charm that attracts and inspires other people.

Charissa

name

A feminine given name.

charitable

adj

Generous in giving help or money to those in need.

charity

noun

An organization set up to help people in need or support a cause, rather than to make a profit.

charivari

noun

A loud, mocking performance of banging pots and pans, traditionally held to tease a couple who have just married.

Charla

name

A feminine given name, a modern feminine form of Charles.

charlady

noun

A woman whose job is cleaning homes and offices.

charlatan

noun

A person who pretends to have skill or knowledge they don't actually have, usually to trick people out of money.

charlatanism

noun

The quality of being a charlatan.

charlatanry

noun

The quality of being a charlatan.

charleen

name

A female forename, a variant of Charlene.

Charlemagne

name

King of the Franks who was crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD, ruling a vast empire across much of Western Europe.

Charlene

name

A female given name, a feminine form of Charles, especially popular in the mid-20th century.

Charles

name

A male given name meaning "free man," one of the most enduring names in the English-speaking world.

Charleston

noun

A lively, energetic dance from the 1920s, danced with fast kicks and swinging arms, named after the city in South Carolina.

Charley

name

A given name used for both men and women, a shortened, informal form of Charles or Charlotte.

charli

name

A female given name in modern use, a variant of Charlie.

Charlie

name

A given name used for both men and women, an informal short form of Charles, Charlotte, or Charlene.

charline

name

A female first name of French, equivalent to English Charlene origin.

charlotta

name

A female given name, a variant of Charlotte.

Charlotte

noun

A dessert made of sponge fingers or bread lining a mould, filled with fruit, custard, or cream.

Charlottesville

name

A city in Virginia, USA, home to the University of Virginia, named after Queen Charlotte.

Charlton

name

A place name found in numerous English towns and villages, and a surname derived from it.

Charly

name

A given name used for both men and women, a variant spelling of Charlie.

charm

noun

A quality that makes someone likeable, attractive, or persuasive.

Charmaine

name

A female given name, likely inspired by the word "charm."

charmed

adj

Protected or blessed as if by magic; extremely fortunate.

charmer

noun

A person who is very charming, especially one who uses charm to win people over.

charming

adj

Pleasant, attractive, and likeable.

charmingly

adv

In a pleasant, attractive, or likeable way.

charmwork

noun

The practice of making or casting magic charms.

Charo

name

A Spanish surname, also known as the stage name of Spanish-American entertainer Charo.

Charon

name

In Greek mythology, the ferryman who carried the souls of the dead across the river Styx.

charred

adj

Burnt black on the surface; scorched.

charro

noun

A traditional Mexican horse rider.

chart

noun

A diagram, graph, or table used to display data or information clearly.

charted

adj

Recorded, mapped, or plotted.

charter

noun

An official document that creates an organisation or grants specific rights, freedoms, or powers.

chartered

adj

Established or authorised by an official charter.

charting

noun

The process of recording, mapping, or plotting something systematically.

chartist

noun

Someone who studies charts of past prices to try to predict how shares or other investments will move next.

chartreuse

noun

A pale yellow-green colour, named after the French liqueur.

Charu

name

A given name of Sanskrit origin, used for both men and women, meaning "beautiful" or "pleasing."

charva

noun

(informal) A badly behaved young person, especially a difficult child or teenager.

charwoman

noun

A woman hired to do housework, in the past usually paid by the week for daily visits.

chary

adj

Careful and cautious, often in a shy or wary way.

Chas

name

A short, informal form of the name Charles.

chase

verb

To run after someone or something in order to catch them.

chased

adj

Pursued or followed at speed.

chaser

noun

A person, animal, or vehicle that chases something or someone.

chasing

noun

The art of decorating metal by engraving or hammering patterns into its surface.

chasm

noun

A deep, steep-sided crack or gap in the earth.

chassis

noun

The supporting frame of a vehicle, onto which the body, engine, and wheels are mounted.

chaste

adj

Not engaging in sexual activity, especially outside marriage or before it.

chasten

verb

To make someone pure or morally clean.

chastening

noun

The process of being chastened.

chastise

verb

To criticise or scold someone sharply for something they did wrong.

chastised

adj

Having been harshly told off or punished.

chastisement

noun

A telling-off or punishment given to correct someone.

chastity

noun

The state of not engaging in sexual activity, often for religious or moral reasons.

chasuble

noun

An outer garment worn by a priest for a church service such as Mass.

chat

verb

To talk with someone in a relaxed, informal way.

chatbot

noun

A computer program designed to chat with people, often through text messages.

chateau

name

A shortened form of Chateaubelair.

chatelain

noun

The person in charge of a castle, either as its lord or as a caretaker looking after it on the lord's behalf.

Chatham

name

A port town in Kent, England, home to the Royal dockyard; also the name of many towns in the US and Canada.

chatra

noun

An umbrella or parasol, especially one used in religious or ceremonial settings.

Chats

name

An informal shortening of Chatham.

Chatsworth

name

A civil parish in Derbyshire, England, home to Chatsworth House, a famous stately home; also several towns elsewhere.

chatta

noun

An umbrella, especially a decorative one used in India.

Chattanooga

name

A city in Tennessee, United States, near the Georgia border, known for its Civil War history.

chattel

noun

An item of movable personal property, such as furniture, livestock or a vehicle, as distinct from land and buildings.

chatter

noun

Talk that goes on and on without saying much of substance.

chatterbag

noun

(informal) Someone who talks a great deal.

chatterbox

noun

A person who talks a great deal, often more than others want to hear.

chatterer

noun

Someone who talks a lot, especially about unimportant things.

chattering

adj

Talking rapidly and continuously about trivial things.

Chatterjee

name

A Bengali surname.

chattery

adj

Talkative, or full of chatting.

chatting

noun

Casual, friendly conversation.

chatty

adj

Talkative and fond of casual conversation.

Chaucer

name

A rare medieval English surname, most famously borne by Geoffrey Chaucer, author of The Canterbury Tales.

Chaudhary

name

A South Asian surname.

chauffeur

noun

Someone employed to drive a car for another person, often in a formal or luxury setting.

Chauhan

name

A surname of Hindi origin, associated with a prominent Rajput clan.

Chauncey

name

An American surname of Norman French origin, also used as a given name.

chauvinism

noun

An extreme and aggressive belief that your own country is better than others.

chauvinist

noun

A person with an exaggerated, biased belief in the superiority of their own group, often used specifically for someone with sexist attitudes toward the opposite sex.